MILITANT MINERS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14832, 25 November 1913, Page 8

MILITANT MINERS.

A THREATENING DEMONSTRATION AT GREYMOUTH. MEN FIRE BUILDING AND BREAK TOOLS. (SPECIAL TO "the fhess.") GREYMOUTH, November 24. Trouble of a serious and somewhat alarming nature occurred at Brunner and North Brunner this morning, owing to an aggressive and threatening demonstration by strikers from Blackball and Runanga.

The Blackball men, nearly 200 in number, arrived very early in the morning at Stillwater, evidently bent on stopping the little work being done. Their first act at Stillwater was to leave twenty-five men to see that no work was done, and the remainder marched on Brunner, the inhabitants of which were greatly startled by their advent. They were preceded by a banner, and their march was accompanied by the martial strains of bagpipes. At Brunner these men were joined by the Runanga contingent, making in all about 400 strikers. After

they had stopped a few men from doing necessary wor k at t he Brunner mine,"they held a mass meeting, and then made back towards Stillwater, apparently determined on a further demonstration. Mr F. Nancarrow (secretary of the company) and Mr James Armstrong, thinking the trouble was over at Stillwater when the men were previously there had gone to Brunner by train, but'on reaching the latter place found that the strikers had started on their return march. These two officers of the company hastened back, and Constables Mclvor and Anderson also were soon on the spot. The presence of the constables had a somewhat deterrent effect, and probably prevented considerable damaco being done, as prior to their advent there were unmistakable evidences that acts of a serious nature were contemplated and even initiated.

When Messrs Nancarrow and Armstrong arrived, they noticed smoke issuing from the engine-room, and were just in time, with tho assistance of the stationmaster, to prevent a serious fire. The fire had been ingeniously started. Some sacks and rags had been placed under an oil can. the tap turned on, and a light applied. This was done probably some four or five minutes before the arrival of Messrs Nancarrow and Armstrong. In another two or three minutes the wholo building would probably have been in flames. Tho strikers also broke all the shovels and tools thoy could lay their hauds on, pulled up a portion of the mine tramway, and broke some of tho windows of the buildines, while threats were uttered against Mr A. Feary, one of the men employed at tho Brunner mine.

After order had been comparatively restored at Stillwater, further outbreaks being probably prevented owing to the persuasion and the subduing influences of tho constables, the strikem held another mass meeting, when it was resolved, after considerable discussion, to refer the question of loading trucks to the general executive, and in the meantime to keep the place picketed.

AH is quiet, and no further trouble is anticinated.